


I Know

by inloveamateursatbest



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It of Sorts, Gap Filler, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-08-13 22:17:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7988098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inloveamateursatbest/pseuds/inloveamateursatbest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Aaron could see it already, that twisted sense of family loyalty. It was beyond him to even try and understand that mess of a relationship, but he knew Robert."</p><p>Gap filler between the episodes of 16/08/16 and 17/08/16.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Know

**Author's Note:**

> I felt like there was more to the night when Andy left than just Aaron giving Rob the silent treatment. Robert looked so devastated, I really don’t think he could hide it from Aaron, or that Aaron would be that cold with him. It's quite a bit late now, and I've posted it on Tumblr already, but I finally set up my AO3 account, so I figured I'd post it anyway.  
> It starts as Robert watches Andy and Bernice drive off and ends the next morning before he and Aaron talk.
> 
> A massive, massive thank you to sophwrites for the encouragement, and a shout out to CaptainOriginalSin for giving it a final once over.
> 
> This is my first fic, so any and all feedback is very much appreciated! x

Robert watched them drive off, still thinking it would have been smarter for Andy to go alone. Slowly, he made his way to his car and tried to compose himself, breathing deeply and staring at the review mirror as if the past was flashing through it. He wasn’t going to cry, he’d already had more of that than he expected or wanted. So after a moment, he started the car and drove back to the village.

It was a short drive, but long enough for him to keep dwelling on what had just happened. Andy was gone, he’d provably never see him again. Or if he ever did, it was a long way away. And the chance of that happening was all down to Robert. He had to clear his brother’s name. But it was Andy leaving that kept swirling in his head. Robert was the one that left, he was the one that got to leave, the one that wanted to. He scoffed. Never _that_ way, but still. It was part of the reason they didn't get on. Andy was as much of a fixture of that damn village as his mum's headstone. But not anymore.

Only once he'd parked near the pub and stepped out of the car, did he notice his hands were stiff from how hard he’d been gripping the wheel. He needed to see Aaron. Robert knew he’d be mad, but right now that didn’t matter. And maybe with Bernice going with him, Andy would hold on for longer before doing something stupid, so the plan wouldn’t be so terrible. Robert scoffed to himself, _probably not_.

The backroom was empty, no Aaron in sight, but he couldn’t bring himself to face the pub in the evening rush. He dropped down on the sofa and felt like he couldn’t move if he wanted to. He felt so tired, the kind of tired that seeps into your bones slowly but eats you whole before you notice. _Breathe in, breathe out_ , he had to remind himself. Suddenly everything was so difficult.

He was so deep in that state he didn’t notice someone enter the room, and all of a sudden Aaron was there, just looking at him. For once, he was glad Aaron could see straight through him. He didn’t have it in him to explain right now.

“So, everything I said, just in one ear and out the other, yeah? Typical...”

Robert just looked at him, pleading, and looked away. He couldn’t do this now. All those years wishing he had never met Andy, and brought him into the family, wishing he didn’t have to see him every day. All those years away, convincing himself he was glad to be gone, rid of him, the lot of them, that whole damn place. When he came back, seeing Andy was like picking at a scar. Too long had passed for the wound to bleed again, but it was there, he could feel it. Soon though, Katie had made sure it was open and festering again, in all its glory. But now, now he was gone and it _hurt_.

Aaron was still staring him down, silently, as if waiting for an answer. But Robert was sure he knew him well enough not to expect one.

In his valiant effort to look at everything in the backroom but Aaron, Robert had failed to notice Aaron’s scowl slowly giving way to worry and twitching. Aaron could feel himself seething. Why did Robert never listen? This would come back to bite them. Chrissie would never settle for a runaway Andy, and Robert wouldn’t be able to stop himself. Aaron could see it already, that twisted sense of family loyalty. It was beyond him to even try and understand that mess of a relationship, but he knew Robert. Why did he have to be like this?! Aaron felt like yelling. _This is a terrible plan!_ But one look at Robert and he could see him thinking it too. He didn’t have it in him to be comforting right now, no matter how much he could feel that Robert needed it. He didn’t trust himself to speak, could feel the fight brewing. None of them needed it right now. Clearly they had to start planning, because this could never be simple… Was anything ever simple with Robert? He huffed then almost smiled. _Maybe one thing was simple. Since the very beginning._

One look at Robert sinking slowly into the sofa and into himself brought Aaron back to the room. Why must he be so frustrating? Why can he never just _listen_?! Aaron shook his head and got up to leave.

After what felt like hours of quiet unravelling, but was most likely only a few minutes, having thoroughly inspected his hands and the coffee table to avoid Aaron’s stare, Robert felt Aaron get up.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out, finally looking up.

Aaron stopped by the door and looked back at Robert. He knew what was coming, though.

“He’s… He’s my brother.”

 _Typical._ He glared at Robert, wanting so badly to yell at him for being this stupid. He couldn’t lose him and this wouldn’t end well. But he wasn't up for the fight that would break if he opened his mouth. Robert looked like he would break if someone so much as raised their voice. As angry as he was, Aaron didn’t want to see that. So he turned back and made his way to the pub.

Robert was left on his own. _Good, the silent treatment. Well, more like the naughty step._ He sighed deeply, and tried to compose himself. No use going after Aaron just yet, he knew they both needed to cool down. He had known before Aaron came in, but just seeing him, no matter how angry he looked, soothed something in him. Robert almost smiled, hearing Aaron's voice in his head. _Soppy git_. He still didn't feel like he could move, though. So he turned the television on, so anyone that saw him there wouldn't think much of it, and sat there pretending to listen to whatever was on.

He had no idea how long had passed when Liv walked in.

“Hey. Thought you’d be in the pub already, looking all heart eyes at my brother.”

“What? Sorry?” Robert had barely registered she was there, let alone heard her.

“You, Aaron, pub.” Seeing the confused look still on Robert’s face, she elaborated. “He text to come in for tea,” she said, waving her phone as illustration. “Thought you’d be there already.”

“Oh, yeah. Not hungry.”

Liv squinted suspiciously at him.

“Fine.”

* * *

 

Seeing her brother with an angrier than usual scowl, she didn’t even bother with greetings.

“What’s he done now?”

“You what?”

“Robert. He’s sitting in the backroom with a face like a kicked puppy. And you look like you did the kicking.”

“It’s nothing, Liv. What do you want for tea?”

“Oh, come on.”

“Really, it’s nothing. It’s just this Andy thing, it’s getting to him.”

“I thought they got on like a cat and water.”

“Yeah, but they’re still brothers.” Liv frowned. “I know, I don’t get it either.”

* * *

 

Robert had lingered in the backroom, still staring emptily at the telly, until he gave up and decided to go to bed. He really wasn’t hungry, and he could feel his mind too wired to go to sleep, but too weary to make sense of anything. And it would just be better to give Aaron a night to cool off before trying to explain himself.

He dragged himself upstairs slowly, and made his way to bed. Laying there, his mind kept leaping between the images of Andy driving off, Andy and his dad in the review mirror all those years ago, Chrissie putting on her little act in the pub... He had to fix this. He _would_ fix this, he’d clear Andy's name. But he had to come up with a plan, Aaron was right. They should go after Lachlan, it was the safest bet. After everything, he couldn’t risk Aaron being in trouble. Liv needed him. Needed _them_. Not _really_. But he liked to believe so. Much sooner than expected, though, sheer tiredness had him fall into a light, restless sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

Aaron had dragged Liv into the backroom to “watch a film.” In reality, he wanted her to placate the urge to scowl Robert into a breakdown or a profuse apology. They were both a bit surprised to find the backroom empty, even though Robert’s jacket was still on the back of one of the chairs. Aaron figured it was a sign it was best to have some more time to cool down before talking to Robert, so he and Liv pretended to watch a rerun of Back to the Future III, while they both mulled over the situation.  

Liv found it very weird that Robert would be sad and distant like that, and Aaron wasn’t beside him, doing his usual comforting technique of just sitting with his arm around Rob’s shoulders. If they’re touching in the sitting room in broad day light and don’t spring apart when someone walks in, something's wrong. But that wasn't happening, so she knew there was more to it. Not that Aaron would ever tell her. But it didn’t seem like there had been a fight, either.

Aaron tried to work out what he wanted to say to Robert. He wasn't angry that he hadn't listen to him, not _really_. He didn't expect him to, not if Andy was concerned. Aaron knew Robert would make it his mission to clear his brother’s name, regardless of the fact Andy had had him shot. That fucked up sense of family loyalty made Robert who he is, even if he refused to talk about it most of the time. _Jack really did a number on him…_ Aaron felt a pang in his heart. No, he was still right to be angry. This plan was stupid, and rushed, and careless, and would come back to bite them. Andy was too sentimental, and frankly too stupid to be on the run. Something would go wrong. He couldn't go along with this, there had to be a better way.

Finally feeling more confident he could talk to Robert without a fight breaking out, a film and two episodes of whatever Liv had decided to watch later, Aaron told Liv he was going to bed. Then he noticed the time, remembered his duties, and ordered her to do the same. Which she did, albeit somewhat disgruntled, because “it's summer, Aaron!”

He expected to find Robert in bed, tapping away on his laptop, working to tie the giant tangle of loose ends this plan had, or busying himself with actual work. Instead, he found Robert asleep on his back, with a frown on his face and the light on. He turned the light off, stripped down to his boxers and patted around for a t-shirt to sleep in. Robert woke up with the bed dipping, startled, and after a breath to regain composure, turned on his side, his back to Aaron, figuring he’d want the space.

Aaron was just surprised to see Robert asleep so early and wake up over so little. He was usually a heavy sleeper, once he actually fell asleep. It took ages him ages because the wheels never stop turning in that blond head of his. Aaron knew they’d be turning right now, since he’d woken up.

He couldn’t help himself. Seeing Robert like this, he knew he was affected by all that had happened. His heart got the better of him, and Aaron rolled over, slinging his arm over Robert and pulling him towards him. Robert was pliable under him for a second, until he gripped Aaron’s arm and held on tight. Aaron’s eyes widened in the dark. This _really_ wasn’t like Robert. Aaron inched closer, nuzzling his hair and rubbing slow circles on his belly.

“I’m still angry.”

“I know.”

 

* * *

 

Robert woke up with his head on Aaron’s chest. Of course he knew Aaron was still mad at him, but he felt so much more settled, having slept nestled with him as always. He had expected three feet between them, or Aaron kipping on the sofa just to cool off. When he felt Aaron stir, he lifted his head.

“Morning,” he added softly, with a hesitant smile.

Aaron scowled and got up quickly. He shuffled around the room for joggers and a towel, back to Robert, and left without a word.

_Ah, good. That’s still on, then…_


End file.
